Cost of Survival
by Akamie
Summary: Revenge. Betrayal. These are at the front of Olivia's mind, they have been since her mother was floated. They've already cost her nine months of lock up and her relationship with her father, now being sent to Earth with the person who betrayed her trust Olivia is consumed by her desire for vengeance. What will this path cost her? How much more of herself is she willing to lose?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter one**

 **** **Family Ties**

Everyone has at least one moment where they can look back on and say, 'that's where it all began' 'the beginning of the end.' I had thought that moment was two years ago, when they floated my mother.

Little did I know that the person responsible had become apart of my life five years ago, three whole years before they'd betray us, setting the wheels of my personal hell into motion.

 _The guards blocked my way to where they held my mother imprisoned, at least they blocked the more conventional route, the hallway. The vent where I had wedged myself with in the cold hard steel of the Ark was suffocating, but it was the only way I could see her. My father hadn't allowed me to visit with my mother prior to her execution, and now I see why._

 _I couldn't hear from my hiding place, the hum of the Ark buzzed too loudly round me, but that didn't cloud my vision. I watched as he stood there facing off with my mother with only the thick steel and glass separating them, My mother stood tall, never shying away from my father's intense stare, she was a good match for him that way. Both of them could be great leaders, both wanted what was best for their people, and both of them were stubborn. Only mother was willing to break the law to do what she thought was right. Where my father hid behind the rules, too afraid to think for himself._

 _Chancellor Jaha places his hand heavily on my father's shoulder; my heart sinks with it as silent tears start to slide down my cheeks. Just as I think my father is about to step back, to allow Jaha to murder my mother, he doesn't. What I saw next I would never understand._

When my own father pressed the button that would cut off her air supply and cast her off to float in space, three very important things happened at once for me, first I realized that the Ark is unjust that the chancellor did not care about who lived or died just that he be obeyed. Second, I felt what it was to truly hate someone, enough that the third thing was decided for me in that moment, that third thing was a vow I made, my mother's death would not be for nothing, I would continue her work.

The work that got her killed.

That night I slept within the vent, cramped in its confines, as terribly uncomfortable as it had been it was still better than returning home. It was better than facing my father. Slowly I pushed open the grate; it dangled from its hinges as I slid my legs out first then dropped to the ground below. Exhausted I looked up at the open grate, nearly tempted to leave it that way, let them know that I had bared witness to their act of cruelty. Sighing I grabbed a chair from down the hall, dragged it to the wall and climbed back up to close the vent.

Sinking down into the chair I cradled my head in my hands, _'where do I go now?'_ lifting my head I glared at the air shaft, I wouldn't be having this problem if she hadn't broken the law. I was out of my seat and closing the short distance to the doors that had sealed my mother's fate within seconds; my palms flush against them bowing my head I pounded on the doors. Unable to hit the people I was actually mad at. "Dammit," I breathed out the sob, with one last smack on the doors I lifted my head, my tears betraying me as they clouded my vision.

"Why?" I gasped, knowing no answer would great me, but still desperate to hear her sweet and calm voice, "why were they so important? Why did you have to die for them?" the sob shook my shoulders, of course I already knew the answer.

"Why am I not surprised to find you here?" I hadn't expected to hear his voice, cold and hard with an authoritative tone, turning I lifted my chin despite the tear tracks that marked my cheeks I didn't want to look weak. "Olivia, what are you doing here?"

Bawling my hands into fists at my sides, I made sure to keep my head up when I responded. "I would think that would be obvious, since you denied me the right to say my final goodbyes." My own voice sounded foreign to my ears. I could hear my own coldness seeping in, he did this, he made me turn cold like him.

"You said your goodbye when she was arrested; there was no need for you to be here. There is still no need," Something bubbled up in my chest, twisting and seething as my expression shifted into a glare. "Your mother is gone."

"Yes," I agreed quickly taking a step forward, motivated by the drive to hurt him the way he hurt me, the way he had betrayed her. "You seen to that."

"Mind your tone," father spoke his own tone calm and commanding, he didn't look to see if anyone had overheard, though his warning was clear that he didn't wish for anyone to ease drop. "I'll remind you that your mother broke the law, by stealing medicine and other perishables, she knew the punishment."

There was no sign of regret on his face, _'he keeps saying, your mother, as if to keep himself detached.'_ "She was your wife too, unless you've forgotten." He stood there, silent, for a moment I thought maybe he was shocked like he'd actually been able to forget.

There was a beat where his bravado fell away, where instead of being just another council member that had voted on my mother's execution, he was my father again. It was too bad that my relief would be short lived, "you have somewhere to be, I suggest you move along."

It was then as I walked passed my father I realized I had lost both my parents, not just my mother.

Classes were over for the day, not that I had gone classes being over simple meant that I was free to roam the halls, today I wasn't expected to be at my internship, more or less because my mother who had also been mentoring me had been floated. I didn't doubt that Abby Griffin would take over my mentoring, if asked, but today I wasn't ready to go back to med Bay, not when that was where they arrested her as I stood helplessly by and watched.

I could still hear them calling her name, how my mother lifted her chin without any trace of fear she turned to face them, I had seen it in her eyes that resembled my own that she had known this was coming, without any trace of surprise she greeted the guards. "Dr. Kane, you're under arrest for theft of medical supplies, you'll be held in solitary confinement until you give up your accomplices or you will be floated."

The moment the cuffs closed around her wrists I felt my world slip out from under me, "mom, mom what's going on?" My voice trembled as I spoke, of course, I already knew what was happening. Someone had ousted my mom; someone she trusted turned her in. The color drained from my face, my legs weak as I took a shaking step towards her.

 _'This can't be happening'_

The guard who was placing my mother under arrest had a shaved head, her eyes tiny slits upon her pale face as she looked sideways at me. Of course she'd recognize me, if not for being my mother's daughter then for being Kane's daughter. "I'll give you one minute."

My mother nodded, grateful to the guard arresting her, she even thanked her before turning to me. My arms instantly went around my mother as she awkwardly positioned her body around mine, like a shield, she whispered so quietly I almost missed it. "Be strong and kind, my little dove."

My nick name, the one only she uses. Not any instructions, nothing remotely helpful to get her out of this situation. Nothing that would save her, her last words were to console me.

It had been days, days filled with me avoiding my father and responsibilities as I hid in my room refusing to leave my confines…until today.

Slowly I move through the empty halls, in desperate need of a friendly face. Stopping at a familiar door I look up before knocking, mother and I had frequently visited this resident for both business and social calls. It was the only business endeavor she allowed me to join her in, otherwise she insisted that it was too risky.

His piercing brown eyes pinned me to my spot, his door barely open signaling his reluctance to let me in, as he stood silently staring down at me. "You shouldn't be here." His statement left no room for argument; still I clung desperately to my need of normalcy.

"Please, I need to see your mom." I sounded weak bagging and I hated myself for it, I spotted the hesitancy and pity on his face as he turned away from me, answering someone inside who had spoken.

"It's Olivia…it's not a good idea. Fine." He relented a moment later taking a step back and allowing me entry into the apartment, it was then I noticed his guard uniform.

"Oh my dear, you look awful." Mom's best friend, Aurora stated before embracing me into a motherly hug. "Come sit, I'll make us some tea." She paused looking over my head, "Bellamy, get your sister will you?" I could hear Bellamy mumble his disapproval under his breath as he moved away from the closed door and I took a seat on the worn brown couch. I didn't care at the moment what Bellamy thought, without my mother this was the closest I'd feel to home.

"Olly," Octavia greeted me looking torn between embracing me like her mother had, or offering her condolences, once Octavia sat beside me on the couch our arms were wrapped around each other, me burying my face in her shoulder as she whispered, "I'm so sorry Olly, I wanted to come to you. Obviously I couldn't, mom said you'd come eventually. I was so worried." Her words came out in a rush, as if she wasn't sure what she should say.

Pulling back I offered her a watery smile, doing my best to assure her everything was okay. "Here," Aurora swooped in placing two hot mugs on the table before us, "drink up, it'll help."

"thank you," I nodded lifting the cup and taking a small sip, the hot liquid burned my lip and tongue, but the strong taste of a bitter heat of alcohol mixed in with the tea had me grimacing, never before tasting alcohol except for the time my mother allowed me a sip of her wine. This was not wine.

Aurora quickly disappeared and then reappeared with her own cup, as I discreetly placed the mug a little ways away from me on the table. "I wish this was just a social call." I began quietly, "I need your help."

Aurora sat back in her chair, her attention on me "of course we'll help," Octavia was the first to chime in, her hands fluttering to land on my own that were in my lap, "we're like family."

"Octavia," Bellamy was quick to interrupt, sending his sister a disapproving look, "we're not in a position to be helping anyone."

"What are you talking about?" Octavia scowled, "Olivia and her mom, Amelia helped us for years. We owe it to her, to help Olly."

It was Aurora who ended their dispute and heated stare, "I don't understand, how is it you think we can help you?"

Bellamy's irritation was palpable as he huffed and paced around the room, "you and my mother were close. You shared secrets," it was a fact, and sharing secrets meant you gave someone the power to have you killed, it meant you trusted them. "I need to know everything you know about my mother's dealings, her schedule if you know it, her customers, and the people she traded with."

Aurora seemed to be beside herself at my request, her gaze soft as she searched me for answers and no doubt found them easily. "I'm afraid Amelia was very discreet in her dealings, there are a few things I have knowledge of that I could share. But first, tell me why?"

"Why?" I repeated the single word, my eyebrows furrowed, "because someone betrayed her, someone gave her up. I want to find out who."

"Then what?" Aurora asked, unconvinced by my declaration.

My hands closed into fists in my lap, Octavia's hands no longer on top of my own, "I get justice, they are responsible for the murder of my mother who only wanted to help people. Who dedicated her life to helping other people."

"Alright, and now without her who will help the ones that depended on her?" Lifting my gaze I met Aurora's stare. I knew what she wanted.

"I'll have to become a part of mom's secret job; I'll have to take her place to get the information I need. I know that," I nodded, "you guys are the only people I can trust. I'll need your help."

Getting the name of the vendor who supplied mom with the food and meal tickets she used to give to people was easy after that, Aurora needed those for Octavia so of course she would know where mom got it. What she didn't know was that Mike Anderson only gave mom that in exchange for insulin which she stole from med Bay.

As it had turned out I needed to get Abby to take me on as her apprentice, that hadn't been hard to achieve either, surprisingly. Once allowed in the med Bay unsupervised, using mom's key card to get access to the medical supplies I needed was easy, replacing them before they were noticed however was tricky. It turned out mothers connections allowed a five minute window to pull some from storage to replace what I took.

"It's for my boy," Anderson explained after a moment of silence, our exchange over, "he has diabetes, everyone knows that most only live a few years because the medicine is so expensive. Your mother approached me with this deal ten years ago, he's thirteen now." His blue eyes shined with sincerity as his fingers grazed over the box that held the insulin, his love for his son present on his features, "we appreciated your mother's efforts, her sacrifice. Grieved her death. She gave our family more than double the years we'd anticipated, if there is anything else you need."

"Actually," and I went on to explain my situation, searching out her contacts, unfortunately Anderson wasn't sure of any names that my mother provided the meal tickets to.

Entering our apartment felt strange, the kind of strange one felt going from an obnoxious loud environment into one of complete silence where all of your senses are focused on the one simple thing that everything else falls away. Forgotten.

Mothers absence was palpable as I stood near the door way, my eyes taking in the view of our living room and kitchen, beyond the kitchen to the left was my parents bedroom, mine was across the way on the far side of the apartment, next to the small bathroom. Our apartment was one of the larger ones, but it never felt this big and empty until my mother's death. Now as I walk through the living room I can hear the echo of my footfalls, like a dull thudding vibrating through the apartment.

Everything about our apartment was my mother, from the baby blue couch she had convinced father we needed to the paintings hanging upon the walls, decorating the small space is pastel colors of abstract art to images of what the earth once looked like in full bloom and at its peak of beauty.

My fingers glided over one painting in particular, one with mountain tops in the distance reaching for the clouds and a great river flowing below it with such power radiating from it as it flowed around the jagged rocks and rained down the waterfall at its edge, and all around the river was life. This was her favorite, our history and she hoped our future.

I wasn't much of an artist, though I could appreciate its beauty, but when I looked at this painting that was all I saw. A pretty painting, something that my mother loved, but it was nothing more than an image of something I would never truly be able to appreciate with my own eyes.

"Olivia," my father called to me, he stood in the doorway to their-his bed room with one of mothers shirts wrung in his hands, he looked like he'd seen better days as his eyes drifted from me to the painting I stood in front of. "I'm going through your mothers personal artifacts," he stated once he tore his gaze from the painting, "deciding what to keep and what to part with."

Biting my lip my gaze dropped back down to the wrinkled shirt, "mother would want it all to be donated." I stated unable to look at him, she'd have done it herself, just given it all away. Unfortunately that wasn't how things worked here.

"We follow protocol; pickup is tomorrow at eighteen hundred." He looked behind him then, looking into his bedroom before silently moving away from the doorframe and pausing by the counter in the kitchen area.

"I've been informed you've been missing class, and yet you've made the time to seek out Abby Griffin in hopes she'd continue to mentor you." His gaze was now on me, the shirt abandoned on the counter like a dirty rag, "if you wish to continue your lessons then I expect you to attend class. Are we clear?"

It had been six days, nearly a week, my eyes narrowed into a glare, a week that I have either spent sleeping in my room or within the walls of the ark, a week where I'd been busting my ass to gain information about moms contacts and to continue her work, where I've shown up to my internship, not because I wanted to, but because I need access to their supplies. School held no importance to me anymore, and neither did he.

"And what if I don't?"

"Then, you'll have to find new courters and a job that will employ an uneducated drop out." He paused, "a janitors job, or line cook might be an option if you're lucky enough." I could feel the air drain from my lungs, it wasn't a bluff, he floated his wife so I highly doubted he had any qualms about making his daughter homeless. "The choice is yours, however if I come home tomorrow to find you haven't attended class you'd best be gone." With that, his shoulders tensed my father left the apartment.

"Float yourself, dad." Clenching and unclenching my hands I glared at the door, daring him to come back and grateful when he didn't.

Going through moms belongings was painful, mostly because father had already thrown them carelessly into boxes around the room, like he was throwing out the trash. Currently I clung to mom's sweater, it was plain in color simple beige, she had worn this sweater nearly every night before bed and around the house. Burying my face in the plush material I could still smell her scent, the sweater would be one item I would never part with.

Folding it carefully I placed the sweater on my lap, aside from mom's sweater I had chosen to keep her journals and scrap book which I carried back into my bedroom and tucked away inside the safety of my drawers.

Tomorrow I'd have to tend school and appease my father for the time being until I could find out the person responsible for turning my mother in, until then I climbed into my single cot clinging to the only thing that would give me comfort.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

 **New beginnings**

It was her sweater I wore now, as I sat upon my cot staring blankly out a small window that looked into space. Nine months ago I found the man responsible for turning my mother in, in a fit of rage in light of his betrayal I assaulted him, and stupidly I did that in front of witnesses. After three months of searching, all of my built up emotions were let loose, and that was why now I found myself locked away in a cell.

Being in the sky box was a lot what I imagined military school to be like, guards would wake us every morning at six hundred hours, we'd be escorted to where the prisoners would eat three times a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and then come seven hundred hours we'd be separated into smaller manageable groups for mandatory classes that would last from seven hundred until fourteen hundred. After our dinner we'd spend the remainder of our days locked up in our cells.

Except today. Today was unlike the others, breakfast had been brought to our rooms and classes were cancelled for the day. Which left me with more time to dwell on the past, apparently nine months wasn't enough time for me to forgive him or move on.

Bellamy Blake had been someone my mother trusted, someone I had trusted. He had stood there and watched me bag his family for help to avenge my mother; his sister consoled me while he watched knowing that he was the reason for my pain. I knew his secret, Octavia; my mother had spent years helping them to keep her a secret and to provide for her. It made no sense, the words that spilled from his lips after Octavia was sent to the sky box and his mother was floated, when I came to him to be his friend he'd told me…

 _"I did it okay? This," his arms spread wide as grief twisted his face into one of sorrow, "this is what I deserve. Don't you get it Olivia? I turned your mother in." I stared, speechless, my mind going blank. "They were on to her, and it was only a matter of time before they tracked her back to us, I cut our ties. At least I tried to. Then you," he waved his hand at me as if stricken, "like your mother, you convinced mine and Octavia that for a day she could be like a normal girl. That you'd keep her safe for the masquerade. Like a fool I agreed to help watch over Octavia, I should have turned you in. If I had then O,"_

I never heard what he said next. I didn't care to, all I knew was he got my mother floated; that instead of taking responsibility for his mothers actions and his own he blamed me. He threatened my life. I snapped, repeatedly I hit Bellamy while he stood there and took it, like he wanted me to hit him, until guards were pulling me off as I seethed panting for breath.

 _"Float yourself Bellamy," I was trashing attempting to free myself, meeting his steady gaze I spotted the blood that dotted his split lip, "you're a coward, you hear me?"_

Shaking my head I pushed back the thoughts of Bellamy Blake, I'd never told Octavia about what her brother did, I wanted to but she loved her brother and it wouldn't change things. I had told her I'd found out who did it, and when she asked who I told her 'an ungrateful coward' because that was what I thought of when Bellamy was mentioned.

The sound of my door opening stirred me from my thoughts, "prisoner 313, stand up and face the wall." I glare at the two guards invading my room; they never know what to expect when dealing with me, and to be honest half of the time I don't know how I'll react beforehand.

They've labeled me a trouble maker, even a nutcase because in the beginning I was violent to the point I bit a guard. Now usually all they have to worry about is my incompliance and dirty looks, being electrocuted so many times takes the fight out of someone. "Is it lunch time?" I ask, unmoving.

"Stand up and face the wall." The second guard, Crowley, repeats the formers order. He's a man with a short temper, also one of the guards I usually receive my shocks from. This time I stand and turn around.

"What's going on?" I ask, hoping that my cooperation will influence them, as expected it doesn't.

"Quiet, hold out your right arm."

Frowning I turn around to face them crossing my arms firmly in front of my chest, Crowley is clearly annoyed while the other, a woman fresh out of training only a few years older than myself who I believed was called Rose Tyler looked at Crowley surprised by my refusal. "What if I don't? You'll use your baton, electrocute me into submission?"

"Olivia, that's enough." My lips parted, my father stood behind them, out of my direct line of sight until now. He looked tired, I couldn't be sure if it was work or me he was tired of as I swallowed.

Never had he visited me here, the last we spoke was the day I'd gotten myself arrested and that had ended in a fight. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?" I pressed, my eyes darting from him to the guards which now had moved to stand post at the outside of my door, in the pretense of giving us a moment of privacy. "Am I being released? Or have you decided to get rid of me early?" I asked, the hostility returning to my tone once the shock of seeing him had faded.

"It's not like that," he stated shaking his head, "you look well."

My nose crinkled, this was not how our conversations went. "Why are you here?" I asked my voice quieter as I watched him take in my cell.

"You've been chosen," my father stated with a sigh,

"Chosen for what?" I pressed taking a step forward.

"I'm not supposed to say," he admitted finally meeting my stare, "I promise you, Olivia, you're not being floated." Silently I stood there, it was strange seeing my father like this in a state of melancholy, when usually I'd see him irritated or commanding, there was little ever anything in between.

"I can't trust you," I stated holding back, it didn't matter if I believed him, if I was confused about the change in his demeanor the facts remained the same and I would never forgive him.

"That's unfortunate," he stated closing the small distance that was my room, "hold out your right arm Olivia." I scowled before doing as he asked; it was either do it for him or a guard. There was a small pain piercing my skin as I pulled my wrist towards my chest, a silver device was now circling my wrist, it made a poor accessory being bulky and metallic.

"May we meet again." The last words I heard before the guards escorted me from my cell, bewildered I took in the other delinquents being escorted, some being shot with darts or tazed, resulting in them being placed on stretchers and carried. It almost made me glad that I hadn't shared their fate.

Like cattle we were led from the cells, "Liv, Liv!" A familiar voice had me craning my neck to look back the way I'd come, Taylor a very pretty blonde girl was bouncing and weaving through the masses apologizing as she went. I'd known Taylor my whole life; she was a year younger then I, and my complete opposite. Where I was short with long wavy dark hair, she possessed long legs and straight golden strands of hair that barely touched her caller bone. Our personalities kept up with the contrasts, mine being moody and prone to acts of aggression as of late where Taylor is always smiling and very chatty.

How she had managed to get herself locked up was still a mystery.

"This is crazy," Taylor stated once she had aligned herself next to me, "what do you think is going on? Mass reduction or something? But then why the bracelets? I mean, that doesn't make sense." She shook her head, more as a response to herself then to me.

"No idea." I mumbled, why she put up with my bad attitude and short responses I still didn't understand, Taylor could easily make friends with anyone, but for some strange reason she preferred my company or her distant cousin Lucas's company.

"Whatever it is, they're taking us to a drop ship." She nodded ahead of us, to which I hummed in response, sure enough one was ahead and delinquents were disappearing into it "maybe there is an issue with the ark and we're all going down to earth? Wouldn't that be great? To actually see the earth?"

My stomach twisted. "Earth," I repeated my mouth feeling dry, "is covered in radiation for at least another few years, it's not survivable."

"Well maybe something's changed?" she posed the question in a sing song voice as she glided up the drop ship steps, a smile firmly on her lips as I paused near the doors.

"Keep moving," a guard urged me, taking my arm and helping me up the steps before he disappeared into the ship.

"Come on Liv, I want to get a seat up top!" Taylor stated before grabbing me by the hand and pulling me after her, which unfortunately was not an uncommon occurrence.

We secured our seats up on the second floor, buckling the red straps over our chests to keep us secured. As the seconds ticked past I could feel the reality of what Taylor predicted setting in, the only reason we'd be sitting in a drop ship right now instead of being in class was if we were going to earth. But our pending journey wasn't what had the ill taste forming in the back of my throat as I looked around us.

"Earth to Liv?" Taylor invaded my vision as she strained against her harness, "you didn't hear a word I said did you?"

"Tay," I sighed shooting the younger girl a look of annoyance, "look around, you were right, except not everyone is making this trip." I stated as the other girl took a quick glance around, realization dawned on her, "they're sending us down Tay. Just the delinquents, to see if the earth is survivable. We're the test dummies Tay."

Her mouth shaped an 'O' as she sunk back in her seat, a little less peppy then she had been, "but why so many of us? If it's a test then why not just send one down in a pod?"

She made a good point. I shrugged, "in case we all don't survive the landing? To get rid of us? To ease their conscious about killing a bunch of kids?" My eyes were narrowed as I spoke, each assumption only irritated me further, "my father came to see me before we left." I confessed meeting Tay's unwavering gaze.

"Wow, the head councilman of douche-beggary made an appearance?" I nodded, "well come on, what did he want?"

I tilted my head back as I felt the drop ship disengage from the ark, "to say goodbye."

It wasn't long before we hit the atmosphere and the drop ship gave a shake as the lights over head flickered, "shit, shit, shit." Tay mumbled to herself as her hands grasped her harness.

"Its fine," I mumbled back, my words weak to my own ears, "we're going to be just fine. It's just a little turbulence from hitting the atmosphere." Tay met my gaze, fear clouding her eyes.

"The bastards actually dropped us, no well wishes, have a nice day. Just a big middle finger." I actually preferred Tay this way, scared or overly emotional made her seem less innocent and bubbly.

Over head TV screens jumped to life, an image of Jaha projected on them, "Prisoners of the Ark hear me now. You've been given a second chance, and as your Chancellor, it is my hope that you see this as not just a chance for you, but a chance for all of us, indeed for mankind itself. We have no idea what is waiting for you down there, if the odds of survival were better, we would've sent others."

"Figures," I snorted rolling my eyes as Tay looked from the screens to me. Tay had been right; we were going to the ground without a doubt.

"Frankly, we're sending you because your crimes have made you expendable." Jaha stated.

"Your dad's a dick, Wells." Someone shouted, silently I agreed with him, Jaha was a dick… _'Wait a second, he sent his son to the ground?'_ I realized trying to look around for Wells, only to give up and sink further into my seat, _'but then so did mine.'_ I reminded myself bitterly.

"Those crimes will be forgiven," Jaha continued on, unaware of the momentarily interruption, "your records wiped clean. The drop site has been chosen carefully. Before the last war, Mount Weather was a military base built within a mountain. It was to be stocked with enough non-perishables to sustain three hundred people for up to two years."

It was now that some idiot thought it would be smart to float around the drop ship, gritting my teeth I watched as people cheered him on including Tay. "Spacewalker bandit strikes again!" she cheered with a laugh,

"Don't," I shook my head as she sent me a look of confusion, "that's not funny. It's reckless and dumb; he could get himself hurt or killed." Tay blinked at me; for once she appeared to have nothing to say.

"What's the matter Kane? Going to arrest us for having some fun?" Some other boy mocked as he to unbuckled his seat belt.

"Stay in your seats!" A girl to my left shouted, alerted by the boys comment that he too was now floating around.

I was still glaring at the boy who had called me 'Kane' when turbulence hit, the drop ship shook sending sparks flying as the boys that were out of their seats went flying across the drop ship. I watched as one, the one who had thought it funny to mock my concern was flung against the wall with such force that it wouldn't have surprised me to find a dent in the wall where he'd hit.

The ship continued to shake as sparks fell from the ceiling, Tay at some point had started screaming while I closed my eyes and dug my finger nails into the arm rest. Until it stopped.

"Listen," a boy stated as I opened my eyes, "no machine hum."

Looking to my right I spotted them, I'd thought the voice sounded familiar "Whoa, that's a first." Jasper stated, he and Monty stood side by side strapped against stand up seats. They were in Tay's year, arrested around the same time I was, a little before myself actually. I remember being surprised to hear about their arrest; however I wasn't surprised when I found out the reason behind it.

Everyone around me decided that now was a good time to unbuckle themselves, the panic was over and people seemed eager to get as far away from their seats as fast as humanly possible. "Liv," Tay spoke, she stood unsure as she glanced from me to everyone else that were all moving towards the latter, "come on Liv, the door is on the lower level." Her voice softened, "we should go."

I nodded, before fumbling with my buckle. _'We actually made it.'_ I realized as I slowly followed behind Tay, completely on auto pilot, _'we survived the landing…well most of us did.'_ I paused glancing towards the two who'd been killed, due to reckless abandon.

Climbing down the latter I heard it, his voice, clenching my jaw I searched the crowd for the traitorous bastard. I knew him the moment my eyes landed on them, "what the hell is he doing here," I seethed quietly under my breath, _'in a guard's uniform at that, guess they allowed his sniveling ass back on the force.'_

"He's a guard," Tay stated, misunderstanding my statement, "I'm just glad they sent one down."

 _'Anyone but him, I'd rather have had my father sent down with us.'_ And that was saying something as I glared daggers at Bellamy, my father's betrayal even though I could never forgive at least wasn't surprising, but Bellamy Blake…my mother trusted him.

My hands balled into fists, as a girl descended the latter behind us. "Stop!" Clarke, I recognized her to be, marched her way over to Bellamy, "the air could be toxic." I almost hoped it was, because like Bellamy said;

"If the air is toxic, we're all dead anyway." That would be a hell of a lot less awkward then me trying to kill him for what he's done.

"Bellamy?" I recognized Octavia right away; it wasn't hard from the sound of her voice alone. I stood and watched as she embraced him, and they exchanged hellos. "Do you mind, I haven't seen my brother in a year." Octavia stated when Clarke had invaded their reunion.

"No one has a brother?!" some in the crowd shouted, confused no doubt.

"Hey," turning I noted Lucas settling up next to Tay and I, "crazy huh? We're going to be the first people in nearly a hundred years to walk on the earth." He smiled, his sideways grin as his stare shifted between us, "I figured you guys must have been upstairs when I didn't see you down here. Glad you two made it." Tay smiled at Lucas, they weren't siblings but they were family, which meant they had a bond like the Blake's, one I envied and could never fully understand.

It was blinding when Bellamy pulled the latch that released the door, light seemed to chase out the darkness in a blink of an eye, I stood there gapping at what lay before us. Octavia was the first off the drop ship, making small and slow steps before she threw her hands in the air and let out a loud scream, "we're back, bitches!" was her declaration that sent everyone moving forward, running to the ground.

Tay and Lucas had taken off in a run, leaving me behind them without a second thought. I didn't mind; as I jumped down from the fallen door hatch my boots hit the ground. People were dancing and cheering in the tall grass, tilting my head back I couldn't stop the grin from appearing as I gazed up at the tree tops. _'I made it mom,'_ I breathed in the air, the unfiltered pure air that was nothing like the air on the ark, _'earth it's beautiful just like you said. I just wish you were here, you'd love it.'_

The colors were bold and bright, unlike mother's soft pastel paintings of the earth, this felt more alive and real from the smell to the feeling of the ground beneath my feet. This was Earth, our fresh start, my new beginning.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three**

 **Survival**

Tay laid sprawled out on the grass while Lucas sat with his back against a tree in the shade, when I joined them. I sat cross legged facing them, completing our triangle, plucking a strand of grass from the millions around me I started to twist it between my fingers enjoying the feel of the delicate green strand. "People are starting to form groups," Lucas stated watching the area around us, looking behind me I could see those groups forming as well, friends coming together.

"They're just happy to be free," Tay stated rolling her eyes as she lay on her stomach, propped up on her elbows with her feet swaying back and forth in the air.

Lucas shook his head, "sure," Lucas didn't seem to actually be agreeing with Tay as she huffed and looked up at me.

"He thinks this is going to end badly, without the adults," again she rolled her eyes, "just being a bunch of convicts we are bound to turn on each other and chaos will ensue." Lucas never objected to Tay's statement, his green eyes watching something in the distance, _'so this is the conversation I interrupted.'_ I realized looking around at the 'groups' Lucas seemed so concerned about.

I wasn't overly surprised when I seen for myself the band of boys that were stalking around together, a good ten of them seemed to be on the prowl with Murphy leading the group. Still their group didn't disturb me nearly as much as the duo talking in whispers a few paces away. The Blake siblings. There were easily a hundred people down here, even so my mind stalled on my unfinished business, _'there is no way I can stay here with_ _him,_ _either he goes or I do.'_ Prying my eyes from the back of Bellamy's head I looked towards our drop ship, where another group was forming lead by Clarke Griffin. 

Murphy's group was descending upon Clarke's like a hawk, squinting my eyes I stood up to get a closer look, "Liv where are you going?" Tay asks, I ignore her.

"Olive you don't want to get involved," Lucas is on my tail, Tay as I suspect is following after her cousin in mild curiosity. Like me she wants to know what is going on.

"Relax; we're just trying to figure out where we are." Wells voice washed over me as I entered hearing range, a circle seemed to be forming around the two groups and I wanted in to get a better view.

"We're on the ground. That not good enough for you?" Bellamy asked, I froze, withholding the urge to make a scene and repeat history, my fists tightening and releasing repeatedly at my sides as I glared at the older boy.

"Liv, what is it?" Tay noticing my change in mood asked as she placed a hand on my shoulder, shrugging her off I nodded at Bellamy.

"I hate that guy." She didn't need to hear my explanation, I was sure my demeanor spoke for its self.

"We need to find mount weather," Wells stated walking towards Bellamy, "you heard my father's message. That has to be our first priority." Shifting from foot to foot I watched the interaction, I didn't hate Wells I barely knew him but using his father as leverage to convince a bunch on convicts that he locked up, to listen to him, well that wasn't the smartest plan.

"Screw your father," Octavia announced everyone's opinion on the Chancellor, "what, you think you're in charge here, you and your little princess?"

"Do you think we care who is in charge?" Clarke asked, "We need to get to Mount Weather, not because the chancellor said so, but because the longer we wait, the hungrier we'll get and the harder this'll be. How long do you think we'll last without those supplies?" She paused looking around meeting different people's gazes as she went, mine included, "We're looking at a twenty mile trek, ok? So if we want to get there before dark, we need to leave, now."

"I got a better idea," Bellamy stated, "You two go, find it for us. Let the privileged do the work for a change." There was a chorus of cheers as people chanted 'yeah' I crossed my arms, _'This is going nowhere.'_

"You're not listening," Wells complained begging with his arms out in front of him, "We all need to go."

It was then Murphy pushed him from behind, "Look at this everybody, the chancellor of earth." Murphy stated smirking at the on lookers as Wells turned around, _'This is bad,'_ I realized as I looked around, _'a lot of them are enjoying this…'_

"Think that's funny?" Wells asked, Murphy was on him kicking his ankle while he shoved him backwards, Murphy circled Wells who was trying to get off the ground.

"No, but that was." I only moved a step forward, noticing how Murphy's minions held Clarke back preventing her from interrupting and going to Wells aid, when someone's hand encircled my wrist.

Startled my eyes darted downwards as I tried to yank myself free, then up to the face that was keeping me in place. "Lucas? What the hell?" I hissed, confused as he stared straight ahead at the scene, only shifting his gaze to look at me.

"Don't, Olive." I furrowed my brow at his command, about to attempt yanking myself free again and reminding him that this had to stop, we couldn't survive if we killed each other, when I heard a few people start to cheer 'fight, fight' I turned back to the 'fight,' Wells was standing in a defensive position with his arms raised and hands balled into fists in front of him, my eyes traveled down to where he was trying to keep some weight off his hurt ankle.

I could feel my heart pounding in my ears, I didn't want to watch anyone fight especially someone who was already hurting and at an obvious disadvantage, Murphy bluffed a few jabs to either psych out Wells or for the entertainment of the people cheering. Probably both.

Movement caught my eye from above as a boy with shaggy brown locks of hair flipped off the side of the drop ship and landed with a flip in front of Murphy, startled Murphy took a step back looking from the boy to where he'd come from, much like everyone else. Exhaling a sigh of relief I smiled, "kids got one leg, how about you wait until it's a fair fight?"

"Hey Spacewalker," ' _oh,'_ I realized glancing over at Tay who at the moment had a smile on her lips until her gaze shifted to Octavia that is, _'this is the guy she cheered for. The one who got two kids killed because they decided to follow him in floating around the space ship.'_ "Recue me next."

Again I attempted to move away to check on Wells, still Lucas's fingers were wrapped around my wrist. "You can let go now," I stated not appreciating the contact, what was it with these cousins that made them think they had free range to put their hands on me was baffling and disconcerting. "Parties over."

"I wouldn't get involved," Lucas stated keeping his voice low in a whisper as he turned to me, "there is a division and the closer you get to it the sooner you'll be made to choose a side." I couldn't dispute his statement as I looked at Lucas, my mouth slightly open in a response that wasn't coming, "Bellamy said so himself, this isn't the ark anymore he wants the 'privileged' to do the work, to be the punching begs for once." He looked me up and down then, his eyes softening slightly as the smile curved the corner of his lips, almost reluctantly so, "don't forget who you are, Olive. You're not like them." He cocked his head towards Bellamy and Octavia who were in their own conversation, "you're not like us."

I pulled my wrist free then, hurt by his words, "sounds like a party, make it five." Octavia proclaimed from a few steps away, sticking my arm in the air I half way turned from Lucas.

"Six," I stated, "make it six." My gaze caught Clarke first, who nodded, then Bellamy's who for the first time seemed to take notice of me as his eyebrows lifted slightly his hand about to settle on Octavia's shoulder paused briefly as he took in my form, before I pulled myself free of his stare and pinned mine on Lucas. "I am who I choose to be." I stated quietly, "I'm not afraid of doing the right thing."

"Olive," I shook my head, taking a step backwards.

"Go recue Tay; she's probably getting herself into trouble. I'm fine." Then I turned, taking quick and precise steps towards the group that had been gathered,

"Should I care?" Spacewalker asked as I stepped up on his other side.

"Well, I don't know. Do you want the people you love to think you're dead? Do you want them to follow you down here in two months? Because they won't if they think we're dying." Clarke stated, I glanced down at the device on my wrist, it made sense that it was a medical bracelet, I frowned, I should have thought of that sooner.

 _'I wonder if dad is looking at my chart now. If he seen my heartbeat pick up a few moments ago? Or if he's even bothered to check in with my status at all.'_

"Now let's go," I followed after the three guys, Monty, Jasper and Spacewalker, while Clarke turned back to talk to Wells.

"Hey," Octavia greeted slinging her arm over my shoulder with a smile once she bonded up alongside me, "earth is amazing, fresh air, freedom," she smiled ahead of us, "cute boys." I rolled my eyes, ever since lock up Octavia has turned into a bit of a flirt, she's beautiful and she knows it, which was why the opposite gender seemed to flock to her like bees to a pretty flower, I could admire her confidence but I would never be able to effortlessly attract people to me the way she does. I'm no Octavia Blake after all, beautiful, spunky, smart and confident. No, I'm an Olivia Kane, a complete mess who was consumed by her mother's death so much that everything I loved, everything I was before fell away.

There were days in lock up, after I'd had months to reflect on how I got to where I was, when I looked at my reflection and couldn't recognize the person staring back at me. I used to be a music prodigy, there wasn't an instrument on the ark I hadn't mastered and singing was my favorite thing to do. That was before I found out the truth about my mother, before I slowly started losing myself to her world, juggling my medical internship became more important than my 'hobby' there was no career, no future in music on the ark.

My father had been pleased when he found out I was going to follow mother into the medical field, 'it's time you stopped with these childish antics anyway, I'm proud of you.' He'd said at the time, not realizing that I would be following mother into a life of crime.

I couldn't help but to wonder, as Clarke bounded up on the other side of Octavia, what I'd become now that I was on Earth, before I could find out though, I still had some unfinished business to attend to. My eyes danced over the dozens of people that were littered about, before landing on Bellamy, he stood where Octavia had left him, watching her go, until he met my gaze.

I held his stare pausing mid step, the second I stood there felt like an eternity as his stare burned my flesh, before I tore my gaze from his calm expression. He didn't view me as a threat, which was a mistake.

"Before you get any ideas, I don't care." Clarke was saying when I took to following them again, now behind them. Leaves brushed against my thigh as I stepped around the overgrown plants, I stayed in the back as Octavia and Clarke strode to the front of the group. Monty and Jasper were a few feet ahead of me, not that I paid them much attention, it was the forest around me that captivated my mind.

I spun, my back to the others as I looked up at how tall the trees were, they were so much bigger than I had imagined, the sound of the wind rustling the plants all around us, the sound of feet on dirt…it was beautiful. "That my friend is poison sumac." Someone was saying, a lot closer than I'd anticipated them to be, walking backwards through the forest was probably not the best plan.

"What? It is?" I heard Octavia gasp as I turned around, spinning slightly as I came in direct contact with someone in front of me.

"Oaf," the sound left my lips as I stumbled back a step, Jasper turned startled as Monty explained to Octavia about the poison sumac's use. "Sorry," I gasped embarrassed, at this moment I was grateful for my natural olive toned skin that kept my cheeks from going completely red with humiliation, "I, uh," I stammered shaking my head to clear it, _'Get yourself together, you sound like an idiot.'_ I scolded myself, "It's beautiful, I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention."

A small boyish grin claimed Jasper's lips after a moment, we weren't exactly friends back on the ark, he had his group and I had mine, but this wasn't the first time our paths had crossed, but it was the first time I found myself captivated by his kind smile.

"I couldn't agree more," he stated as I gave him a slightly confused look, what was it he was agreeing to exactly? The beauty of the forest, or that I wasn't paying attention? Both maybe. "You're Kane's daughter, right?"

I frowned, _'No,'_ I wanted to scream, I didn't want people to only see me as Kane's daughter. "Olivia," I corrected, "my name is Olivia." Jasper nodded, as if sensing my dislike of being called Kane's daughter.

"Olivia," he agreed, "much prettier than the alternative." Now I blushed and lowered my gaze, uncomfortable.

"Thanks?" I whispered softly, unsure how to respond to his compliment.

"Would you guys at least try to keep up?" Clarke snapped from ahead, glancing up I could feel my embarrassment grow as I noticed everyone had started walking away except for Jasper and I.

"Come on Clarke," Spacewalker spoke up first as he walked alongside Octavia and Monty, Jasper and I exchanging a brief smile hurried to catch up with the others, my head ducking as we went. "How do you block all this out?"

"It's simple," she stated, "I wonder, 'why haven't we seen any animals,' maybe it's because there are none, maybe we've been exposed to enough radiation to kill us all. Sure is pretty though." She looked around briefly, "come on."

"Someone should slip her some poison sumac," Octavia stated once Clarke had started moving again, the boys chuckled, I just shook my head. Clarke wasn't wrong, even though we weren't dead the moment the airlock opened didn't mean we were in the clear, we had to survive and if getting to the supplies at mount weather wasn't an option then we'd have to hunt. If there were no animals, we'd be dead within two weeks.

It was strange, walking beside Jasper as we continued our trek through the undergrowth, a part of me wanted to step back and continue walking behind the group lost in my own world, "I have to know," Spacewalker's voice invaded my mind, "what did you two do to get busted?" And a part of me wanted to be involved in the conversation and learn the answer to this myself.

"Sumac isn't the only herb in the garden," Monty stated as I looked over at the two, surprised "if you know what I mean."

"Someone forgot to replace what we took." Jasper stated, not a hint of anger in his voice, it was almost like he found the entire thing amusing.

"Someone has apologized a thousand times." That someone was Monty, I realized.

"What about you Octavia, what did they get you for?" Jasper asked as I cringed already knowing the answer to his question.

"Being born." She stated quietly, the hurt and anger palpable in her tone of voice, a criminal at birth without any choice in the matter. I watched Octavia stride ahead of the group, leaving the four of us behind.

Jasper sighed, "That is so, not game." Monty commented before they playfully hit each other on the arm a few times.

"What about you?" Spacewalker asked, directing the conversation towards me _'I_ _really_ _need to learn his actual name.'_ I noted bashfully, "what got you sent down here with the likes of us? I mean no offence, you're tiny and don't look like you could hurt a fly. Let alone would actually commit a crime."

I chuckled a smile forming on my lips, "funny you say that, someone pissed me off, this someone happened to be a guard and I may have busted his lip." I shrugged, it was strange the way the three of them were looking at me now, caught somewhere in disbelief.

"Seriously?" Monty asked as he looked me up and down, I couldn't blame him my height stopped at five feet and I was barely a hundred pounds soaking wet, I wouldn't believe me either.

"He was the reason my mother was floated," I stated quietly, my gaze going from the three of them to ahead of me where Clarke and Octavia were, "my mother was a thief, she stole medical supplies and traded them for food stamps for Octavia's family, and someone she trusted turned her in. Someone I trusted." I didn't wait to hear their opinion on the matter, there was nothing they could say that would make the situation any better.

Quickening my stride I settled in with Clarke and Octavia who were crouching down looking at something, a deer was a few paces ahead of us it's head bowed as it grazed on the grass near its hooves, the creature was beautiful with its strong lean body and antlers upon its head. "No animals, huh?" Spacewalker whispered from between me and Clarke, before he moved forward keeping low as he crouched.

Until he stepped on a twig. The sound of it snapping had my breath catching in my throat as my eyes widened, the animal hearing the noise reared its head up startled as it looked in our direction. The deer was clearly mutated from radiation, out of the side of its face a second head had started to grow, its eyes were unfocused and cloudy, where the nose and mouth connected was twisted leaving the side of its mouth open where a tongue dangled out from.

Would this be our fate?

Or just a metaphor how something can be seen as both beautiful and hideous, I couldn't decide. All I knew was the sight of the animal at first was a gift, a moment where I truly believed we'd be okay, now it all seemed like a cruel joke.

Earth was survivable, clearly, but at what cost?


	4. Chapter 4

**EDIT**

A link to the tumblr I just made for this story :)

Feel free to comment, ask questions, be involved in my writing or just get a sneak peek and see what is to come ;) Currently 1000+ words into chapter five, hoping to have the chapter up by Monday!

 **Chapter four**

 ** My Hero**

Earth was uneven, some areas were slick where if you didn't hold tight to low hanging branches you'd find yourself landing ungracefully on ones rear, where in other areas it was like walking down stairs moving from one ledge or stone to another. In short, it was unpredictable.

Bracing myself against a tree trunk I watched as Octavia and Finn, who I had finally learned the name of, led the others down a steep downwards hill. My gaze traveled the length, mesmerizing the path they took, watching how Jasper and Monty followed the first pair nearly slipping but ultimately catching themselves before they hit dirt.

"Olivia are you ready?" Clarke asked, her blue stare impatiently imploring me to get a move on. I swallowed, shifting my stare from her to the hill and back, nodding my head once, twice, I prepared myself to follow Clarke.

"Hey, you know what I'd like to know?" Finn posed the question as I tried to concentrate on where to place my feet, "why send us down today after ninety seven years?" the dirt under my boots squished, trying to prevent myself from landing on my ass I leaned forward with my arms out trying to catch my balance, a sigh escaped my lips as I stepped off the slope. "What changed?" Fin asked.

Lifting my head I was greeted with Monty's friendly smile, "don't worry," he whispered good naturedly, "I don't think anyone noticed."

"You noticed," I pointed out; he seemed amused as he shrugged his shoulders.

"I needed to catch my breath," he fibbed as he gestured to the hill, "nearly fell coming down." I nodded; I did notice that he and Jasper braced each other on their way down, it made me wish Clarke had been a little more helpful instead of taking the hill in a fast walk and continued on without paying my descent any thought. "Come on," he smiled tilting his head towards the others.

Octavia was spinning around a tree, happy to be finally free of her prison cell, when we joined them.

"Maybe they found something on a satellite, like a weather satellite or –"

"It wasn't a satellite." Clarke stated interrupting Monty, "the ark is dying." I paused, my eyes on Clarke, _'the ark is dying'_ her words repeated on a loop, "at the current population level there is about three months left of life support, maybe four now that we're gone."

Clarke walked to the front of our group, "so that was the secret they locked you up to keep, why they kept you in solitary, and floated your old man." Finn stated, as a pang of sympathy shot through me, I remembered that night clearly when Abby came to talk to my father, neither of them had been aware of my presence at the time she bagged my father, pleading with him to help her talk sense into her husband. Our fathers were friends after all.

"My father was the engineer who discovered the flaw." Clarke stated, "He thought the people had a right to know. The council disagreed. My mother disagreed. They were afraid it would cause a panic. We were going to go public anyway, then Wells…"

"What, turned in your dad?"

"Anyway, the guard showed up before we could. That's why today," she didn't know, I realized, I could tell her but what good would that do now? "That's why today. That's why it was worth the risk. Even if we die at least they bought themselves more time."

"They're going to kill more people aren't they?" Monty asked as I lowered my eyes to the patch of dirt below my feet, he was right; my father would be hounding the Chancellor to find ways to reduce population. _'Hell'_ I realized _'He was probably the one who made this happen. In proving the ground was safe he could send others until everyone was on the ground.'_

"Good." Octavia stated, startled I looked up at the younger girl, "after what they did to me, I say float them all."

"Octavia," I sighed frowning at her, of course I could sympathize with her, she'd been forced to spend her entire life as a prisoner. In one way or another.

"What?" she snapped her eyes on me, "you know what they did," she paused, "our moms were floated because they tried to keep me a secret, a secret that because of those people was illegal." _'Actually my mother was floated because your brother turned her in and your mother because we failed in protecting you.'_ I wanted to say, I could have said, instead I gently laid my hand on her arm.

"Not all of them O, blame my father," I nodded, "blame the chancellor and guards that took your mom and you away. The rest? They're just like us, only they were lucky enough to not get caught." I had formed this theory while in lock up, there were really only two types of people on the Ark the ones who made and enforced the 'laws' and the ones who broke them, there was just too many rules and if you lived your life never breaking any, then you weren't living you were being a good mindless soldiers.

"So that's why these are so important," Finn was saying to Clarke, as he inspected his wrist band.

Octavia rolled her eyes, a small smile forming on her lips as she turned from me "you're always defending them," she stated without any hostility, as I walked alongside her, "even after one of those people, one you claim to be just like us, turned your mom in." I looked away from Octavia's imploring green eyes then, unable to meet them, instead my eye found a rocky ledge just outside the edge of the trees, I could hear it now, water hitting against them.

"O, water." I stated my eyes widening, her own gaze lit up as if I had just given her a beautiful present.

"Come on," she whispered, pulling me forward in a sprint to the edge. "Take your pants off," a laugh bubbled up in her throat as she pried her shoes from her feet.

"What?" A nervous laugh left my lips, "O, we can't swim." It was useless to point this out, of course she knew we couldn't swim but it didn't seem like that fact was deterring her any.

"Olivia," she sighed her hands momentarily leaving the button on her pants to land on my shoulders, "I'm going in that water." She stated, matter of fact like, "now you can stand here and watch, to later regret that you didn't jump in with me. Or, you can take off your damn pants and be the first to take a swim on earth, with me."

A small smile graced my lips as I nodded, in a hurry my hands were freeing my feet from the boots and socks that kept them hidden, next came my navy blue pants and my beige sweater. Leaving me and Octavia clad in our underwear and tank tops.

Stepping up to the ledge Octavia and I peered over the edge, the water glistened inviting us to take a running leap into its depths. "Octavia, Olivia! What the hell are you doing?" Clarke shouted as we turned to look back at the others, all four of them staring as the two of us stood preparing to jump. Exchanging a smile with Octavia, we reached for each other's hands before taking the leap drawing our knees up towards our chests.

Our hands fell away from one another once our bodies were submerged in the water, it was cool and refreshing after walking in the heat for at least a few hours, like nothing I'd ever experienced the water washed over my body.

Keeping our knees bent Octavia and I stayed mostly under the water, only keeping half our faces above water. "Octavia, we can't swim." Monty stated the longing to join us in the water evident in his voice. My gaze went to Jasper, who at the moment was looking from Octavia to me, the water hid my frown as I wondered what exactly was going through his mind.

"No," O agreed, playfully before standing, "but we can stand." Following her lead we both stood up, the water swirling around our mid sections. I watched as Octavia gave them a show of playfully splashing the water, and running her hands through her hair, rolling my eyes I turned away from Octavia and the others while they stripped away their clothes. My hands stretched out over the water's surface while my feet guided me forward as I bobbed up and down, I could feel the areas where the water got slightly deeper bringing the water up around my chest.

It brought a feeling of exhilaration with it as the water's level rose, splashing small droplets of water up around my collar bone and neck as my feet guided over sand and weeds that were under the water. I wanted it to last forever, for all of us to cross the river like this, but all things come to an end.

"Octavia," Jasper shouted, "Olivia!" he sounded more alarmed when he called my name, almost desperate, or maybe it was just louder to compensate for the distance I had moved away, "get out of the water." I could feel the tide lapping up over my chest, splashing onto my neck, as I turned towards it puzzled, _'There shouldn't be a tide here.'_ I realized as the ripples of something moving drew nearer. "Get out of the water now!" I turned, eyes wide to Octavia, but there wasn't time for me to shout, to tell her to move.

I thought, _oh my god something is in the water._

I thought, _it's coming right for us._

I thought, _shit!_

I thought, _why did I follow Octavia in here?_

I could feel my skin being pierced and torn into as teeth ripped through my thigh and dragged me below the surface of the water. Water rushed up and in my open mouth in a silent scream, and burned my nose as it cut off my air supply.

My heart hammered in my chest as I thrashed against the creature that pulled me effortlessly away from shore, kicking my one free leg against its head and jaw that was closed around my other leg. I was like a human sized rag doll, nothing I did had any effect and I was running out of air.

As if sensing my train of thought the creature released me from its grasp, giving me a moment of reprieve as I inhaled as much air as I could while coughing out what felt like a lung full of water. I can hear the others calling my name, shouting for me to get out of the water, but I can't make sense of anything other than being able to breathe before I'm dragged under the water again. The creature pulls me out further away before it releases me once again, this time when it's teeth free me I'm still stuck under water, trying desperately to kick my way to the surface. I bob up and down, my arms flailing as I try to keep my head above water.

"Olivia, swim!" I can hear the others shouting.

I think, _I'm trying!_

I think, _I can't swim_

I think, _the creatures going to come back and finish me off. I'm going to die._

And it does come back for me, sinking its razor sharp teeth into my already badly hurt leg and dragging me from one side to the other, it's like a game. One I am surely losing. For the most part I'm able to keep my head above water while it thrashes my body around, I catch a glimpse of the others as they are panicking, and Octavia is with them, I realize she made it out of the water unharmed.

Again the creature releases me, this time because of something hitting the water, I can't touch the sand below as I kick my legs and shout for help in between taking in mouthfuls of water and coughing it back out. It's hard to breathe, it's hard to think, I watch the others when my eyes are above the water's surface as they are running down the edge of the rock side to get to the water.

My legs are tired, I'm kicking and thrashing but it's no longer keeping me above water. I'm sinking and for a moment my body is relaxing, giving in to the idea of death.

This time when the creature takes me back into its grasp it doesn't hurt, it's gentle and firm as it wraps its body around my midsection. It's pulling. Like a rag doll I can feel myself being dragged, though I can't make sense weather I'm being pulled up or down until I break the surface.

My eyes burn as the sunlight greets my gaze, my body convulsing in another fit of coughs as my lungs expel the liquid and greedily drags in gulps of air. I'm being hulled up against the rocky shore, as instinct takes over and my nails scraps against the earth wanting to be free of the water as soon as humanely possible. The others are there, grabbing at my arms, my shoulders, to help pull me onto the shore, its then I realize as I'm bent over coughing out the rest of the water, that it wasn't the creature that was the reason I was alive.

I push myself backwards landing on my ass, everyone's words are over lapping and I can't make sense of them, I know they are trying to make sure I'm alright but my eyes go behind me where Jasper it sitting on his ass soaking wet from having pulled me from the river.

I can't form words, I know I have to thank him, I know I owe him my life. Instead of verbalizing my gratitude I move as quickly as my wounded body will allow and wrap my arms around his neck and burry my face in the crook of my elbow and his collar bone. My body is shaking as tears mix with the water droplets, I can feel him wrapping his one arm around my lower back again, tightly but not enough to hurt.

If it hadn't been for the burning in my thigh I probably would have stayed that way, as it was my leg throbbed and itched something terrible. Sitting back I noticed his lop sided grin as Monty stated, "note to self, next time save the girl." Octavia and Finn laughed, while I whispered 'thank you' unable to pull my gaze away from his.

"Alright, let me take a look at that." Clarke stated, sounding impatient, probably because I had pulled away from her once already in order to hug Jasper. My eyes went to my leg, I was sure that in that moment everyone else was also staring at the bloody wound. I could see the muscle, dark and soaked with blood as it drenched my leg and the soil and rocks beneath me.

It reminded me of a time when I worked with my mother in med bay when someone had cut open there leg while cutting into metal. That had been a mess, and it had required stitches. "I'm going to need stitches." I stated, oddly calm while I inspected my own injury.

"The only problem is finding some." Clarke agreed with a nod, "For now we'll bandage it up and use a tunicate."

This time I nodded, and repeated her earlier statement. "The only problem is finding some." Turns out it wasn't that much of a problem as I'd expected it to be, Clarke leaned around me tearing off a piece of Jasper's shirt, "never mind." I mumbled as she bandaged my leg.

Clarke stood up, brushing her hands off on her pants, making me all the more aware that I'm still leaning against Jasper chest, clad in my underwear and soaked tank top. I scooted forward, giving Jasper enough room to get up without me hanging off of him, I'd follow in Clarke's lead and start the hike back up the rock side, but as I stare up at the intimidating structure I doubt that I'd make it on my own, let alone be able to stand. "You look like you could use a hand," Jasper smiled as he reached a hand out, I only hesitated for a second before putting my hand into his.

Jasper helped to pull me up as I hopped around on my one good leg, reluctantly testing out how much weight I could place on my left leg. The pressure I placed on the bottom of my foot sent a rippling pain up my leg as I gasped and continued my one legged dance, "here," Jasper whispered placing my arm around his shoulder, "until you get your balance back." His smile though kind had my gaze burning into the ground.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, "you don't…"

Jasper shook his head as he slowly led us forward, "are you kidding? Miss the chance to have a pretty girl on my arm?" His teasing had my cheeks burning, "I'd be honored." I shook my head seeing his grin as I limped up the slope.

Pulling on my pants was agonizing as it scrapped over my bandaged leg, my socks and shoes were easy in comparison and all the while Jasper stood in front of me, his back turned to offer me what privacy he could as he shifted his weight back and forth. "You okay, need me to get Octavia or Clarke to help?" Jasper asked after I huffed in indignation.

"No," I shook my head, "no, I got it." I paused as my gaze lifted to the back of his head, "you can turn around, I'm decent."

"Oh, right." Jasper fumbled as he turned, his eyes trailing down from my gaze to where my pants covered my injured leg. "Here," Jasper offered a friendly smile holding out his hand.

Walking was worse than putting my clothes on, with each agonizing step I could feel the makeshift bandage rubbing and pulling at the gapping whole in my thigh irritating the flesh. It felt like hours, my crutch switching from Jasper, to Octavia and then Monty, now Finn was taking a turn at playing the role.

"We'll settle in here for the night," Clarke stated as we came to a small clearing in the trees.

"Thank god," I mumbled exhaustion had been taking its toll ever since that thing in the lake took me for a ride, that and the blood loss not to mention all the walking was starting to make me feel light headed as my leg throbbed.

"Here," Finn smiled down at me, it was strange as Finn helped lower me against a tree because I could hear Lucas in my head telling me: _People are starting to form groups, there is a division and the closer you get to it the sooner you'll be made to choose a side_.

I nodded my thanks before he walked off to talk to Clarke,

I thought, _I wonder if this could be my group._

I thought about the day's events, the new friendships I was making, if you could call it that. My gaze traveled over Monty, Jasper, Finn and Clarke, _Would they consider me a friend?_

"Hey," Octavia huffed as she dropped down beside me.

"Hey," Octavia was my friend, had been for five years…but would she be after finding out about Bellamy's betrayal? I couldn't let it go, not until he had paid for what he'd done.

"How's the leg?" O asked hesitantly, glancing over I could see the unease and guilt written across her face.

"Oh this?" I forced a reassuring smile as I patted my leg lightly, "it's fine. I'll be running through these woods in no time."

A small smile tilted her lips but didn't reach her eyes, "I really am sorry Olly, I should have never suggested we go swimming."

Blinking owlishly at Octavia I tilted my head, "why?" I asked before continuing, "Did you know there was a blood hungry monster in it?"

"Well no,"

"No." I nodded my head, "so that's that, nothing to apologize for. I'm alive, you're alive. We're good O."

Now the other girl actually smiled and rolled her eyes before making herself comfortable next to me, "wait until Bellamy hears about this." She started with a laugh, not able to see the frown that claimed my lips as she snuggled in next to me, "He'll never let us out of his sight again."

I didn't respond, not trusting myself to keep the bitter edge from my voice, as we laid there.

Bellamy Blake was a whole other matter entirely, a part of me wanted to throw him to the lake monster and watch as he was tossed around like a rag doll bleeding out and scared to death. But of course I couldn't tell Octavia, his sister, that.

So after a few moments of silence I scotched down to make myself more comfortable as she rested her head on my shoulder, "get some sleep O, we have more walking to do tomorrow." I said instead.

"We have to find a way across the lake tomorrow." She whispered back, afraid of what tomorrow would bring.

Sighing I stared straight above us, at the tree as its branches stretched upwards and outwards towards the sky.

I wanted to tell her it would be okay, we'd find a way across safely. Instead I only said "I know." Before closing my eyes and giving in to the darkness that pulled me under, exhaustion finally claiming my mind as it had my body.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter five**

Authors Note: Half of this chapter will be in first person, while the other will be in third. I'm trying to decide which to continue the story in, let me know which you prefer!

 _The sun is warm._ I can feel it's warmth on my face and radiating all around me, I didn't want to move or even open my eyes hoping to hold onto the last bits of sleep but the tightness growing in the muscle of my leg kept any chances of returning to sleep out of my reach. Blinking a few times to adjust to the light I turned to where Octavia had been, where I expected her to be, finding the spot empty.

Confused I looked around to find that Octavia was nowhere in sight.

No one was where they had been, no one was here.

Panic set it as I pushed myself up into a sitting position, my head whipping this way and that it would have looked comical if the pit of fear wasn't growing in my stomach.

"You're awake." A voice startled me as I finally registered the sound of footsteps walking towards me, Monty approached with a hesitant smile. "How'd you sleep?" He asked reaching down to help me to my feet.

The muscle in my leg burned as I was helped up, I could feel where the wound had started to close on its own being pulled open once again causing a hiss of pain to leave my lips. "Sorry, are you okay?" Monty asked alarmed, "should I get Clarke?"

Shaking my head I dismissed his questions and replied with one of my own, "Where is everyone?"

Monty, looking a little sheepish glanced back the way he had come. "Finn found a section of the lake that is closer together than the rest; the others are there now building a rope out of vines so we can swing across."

Irritated I pinned Monty with my stare, "and you guys what, decided to leave me behind?"

"No, of course not!" He waved his hands in front of his face, startled by my unwavering glair. "We've been taking turns sitting here; Clarke thought it would be best to let you rest since you were having a restless night."

It was hard to be mad at Monty, after all he had only been doing as Clarke asked, and it was what they had thought I needed. But still I couldn't help but feel a little cheated, they should have woken me at least to ask what I wanted.

"I can take you there now, if you think you can handle the walk?"

 _Handle the walk. I wasn't a child._

Stubbornly I lifted my chin as I tested how much weight I could comfortably place on my foot, the shift sent trails of pain up my leg but nothing too unbearable. I'd manage, if only to show everyone else that I didn't need to be coddled that I could stand on my own two feet just fine.

"Let's go." I stated adamantly taking the first few steps in the direction Monty had come from, clenching my jaw to ignore the pain as I pushed forward as Monty watched each unsteady step I took with a look of helplessness on his face.

 _It isn't his fault._ I had to remind myself of this, Monty hadn't been the one to suggest leaving me behind but he was one that had done so, they all had. Regardless of their good intentions it still hurt. Which was why we walked in silence, with the exception of our feet hitting the dirt below and my heavy breathing.

Octavia and Clarke were standing on the rocks overlooking the water, their gazes locked on Finn and Jasper who were standing by what I could only assume was their vine made rope. Forgetting my annoyance I watched, studying the pair who were looking down below them looking anything but ready to make the swing across the lake.

The throbbing in my leg could attest to why this, crossing the lake at all, was a bad idea. But I kept that to myself.

"You wanted to go first," Clarke reminded them, sounding impatient as the boys look over to where Octavia and Clarke stood before their eyes fell towards Monty and myself. "Now quit stalling."

"Hey, you're up." Jasper shouted though it sounded more like a question then an actually statement with how surprised he sounded.

Nodding a spoke "I'm up."

"Glad you could make it Liv," Finn smiled, _'Liv' when did Finn start call me Liv?_

The answer didn't matter though, as the boys started to give each other pep talks about being like the Indians. The Apache.

A small smile pulled at my lips, it had a nice ring to it _'We are Apache.'_

Finn readied himself to take the swing, pulling the rope back tightly he gave it a slight tug testing that it would hold. _'This was it'_ the thought had my heart hammering in my chest as the anticipation builds. With a few last words said between the pair I expected Finn to swing on the vine like a jungle man across the river.

Jasper bouncing on his heels glanced back at where we all stood, his brown graze catching my own then Octavia's before shouting, "Wait!"

 _'Did he see something? In the water maybe?'_ I wonder as my smile falters, before realizing that the real reason Jasper had stopped Finn from taking the first swing across was so that he could do it instead, as Finn hands Jasper the rope.

A nervous excitement builds in my chest as I bounce on the balls of my feet, _'My Hero, My Jasper is going to take the very first swing across the lake.'_ Intently I watched as Jasper took a few steps backwards before he turned to us with his own nervous excited grin pulling at his lips.

"See you on the other side."

Seconds later Jasper was running forward, hands tightly grasping the rope as his feet left the ground and he was swinging through the air. The air caught, trapped in my lungs as I held my breath, watching Jasper sore through the sky until Jasper's feet touched the ground on the other side.

I couldn't believe it, Jasper had made it.

"We are Apache!" Jasper shouted throwing his hands in the air, breaking the brief silence that had collected.

Exhilaration claimed my racing heart as I shouted with joy with the others, "Apache!" For the first time in what felt like forever my smile was more than just genuine it felt all consuming, it wasn't forced, or hesitant or even half assed.

Laughter and smiles were contagious as I took in the group of people around me, all of us wearing similar looks of joy. "Let's go Princess." Finn called to Clarke, beckoning her over, "You're up."

Octavia and I exchanged a smile as she put her arm around my shoulder, a friendly embrace as we waited for our turn to swing across the lake. My gaze found Jasper soon after the exchange, like everyone else's had, as he lifted up a sign high in the air.

It was tarnished, weathered with age and dirt and the years had rusted the edges and faded the writing but the signs bold letters could still be made out even from this distance.

Mount Weather.

"We did it," Jasper shouted, "Mount Weather!" Proudly he held the sign in the air bouncing on the balls of his feet trying to contain his excitement.

I thought _'We made it'_

I thought _'Everything is going to be okay.'_

I was wrong. Excitement turned to horror, laughter to cries, as something flew through the air spearing Jasper in the chest sending him flying backwards into the trees behind him.

***THIRD PERSON***

"Jasper," His name came out sounding straggled as Olivia's eyes widened, her hand out stretched and unable to reach him the brunette stumbled forward on unsteady legs that felt like lead weights in her attempt to get to Jasper in her shock.

The information that her eyes were taking in felt disconnected.

They had been safe, so close to their destination.

The first people to walk the earth in nearly a hundred years.

The wooded shaft that was clearly some kind of weapon told Olivia that they had been wrong, so very wrong. They weren't alone here, they weren't safe here. Someone was out there, someone was hunting them.

"Jasper!" her scream was louder this time before a hand cut off her air way, heartbeat racing Olivia began to struggled clawing desperately at the hand muffling her cries demanding her release.

"Shh, quiet Olly." Octavia's voice was in her ear, sounding as panicked as Olivia felt.

A sob wracked Olivia's body as the fight left her and she surrendered to Octavia's hold, never had she seen something like this, Olivia was there when her mother died hidden away in the vents but it hadn't prepared her for this. To be filled with excitement and joy while you looked at the other person completely unaware that they were about to be killed in front of you.

The last time she was angry, Olivia wanted justice, revenge. Now all she felt was fear, fear of the unknown, for her own life. Never had she felt as weak as she did now as tears slid down her cheeks and her knees shook threatening to give way beneath her.

"Get down!" Finn was shouting and pushing them all towards lower ground. Olivia could feel Octavia pulling her backwards with Monty's help, but her eyes stayed on Jasper, her body numb and unresponsive as they pulled her down behind the rocks.

"We are not alone." Clarke stated a waiver of fear present in her voice.

"Olivia?" Monty repeated her name lightly gripping her shoulder, his hand giving her a gentle shake when she didn't respond. "Olivia, are you with me?"

Her eyes were wide and unfocused when she looked up at Monty, his face inches away from hers, Olivia forced herself to swallow around the lump that was in her throat and brink slowly a couple of times. Still not trusting her voice to speak Olivia nodded hesitantly at Monty, she's barely known Jasper, he'd saved her life and she'd never be able to repay that debt.

But that was nothing compared to what Monty must be feeling, she realized, he had just watched his best friend be murdered.

"We got to go!" Finn stated meeting Monty's hesitant and fearful gaze.

"I got her," Monty nodded, understanding that Olivia's leg would slow them down.

Olivia took a steadying breath as Monty's arm went around her waist, forcing herself into focus knowing that if she stayed shell shocked that there would be no chance she'd be running with them. Olivia nodded to herself getting into a crouching position like everyone else was doing, readying themselves to run for cover.

Finn and Clarke searched the forest, their gazes alert for any sign of movement but unable to detect any. It was unsettling how quiet the woods could suddenly feel after being filled with so much talk and excitement, but it had all been cut short with the death of their friend.

It left a tension of fear in the air, one that Olivia expected to be hanging around for a long time.

Finn and Clarke exchanged a brief look, a signal that they had to move on. "Ready, go!" Finn shouted as the five of them made a dash from the rocks into the cover of the trees.

Olivia pushed herself to run faster than she had ever ran before, the Ark may have had mandatory cardio three times a week to keep people healthy, but nine months of lock up meant nine months where the only 'cardio' Olivia got walk walking to where they were allowed to eat and taught classes, then back to her cell. It didn't leave much room to stretch her muscles that were now yelling at her from overuse after being denied proper exercise.

The wound in her leg pulsating began to bleed through her pants as Olivia tried to keep up with the others in front of her, putting more distance between her and the horror behind her kept Olivia moving forward despite the pain she felt and the burning sensation in her lungs.

Monty's arm was still wrapped around her middle, dragging her forward with him. Olivia could tell she was only slowing him down, but Monty unwilling to leave her behind risked staying at the back of the group to help her in moving forward.

Olivia realized that Monty and Jasper had both been looking after her, be in saving her life or watching her while she slept, and now he was risking being speared to stay behind with her.

"Go ahead," Olivia panted, feeling herself slowing down. Knowing she wouldn't be able to keep up at this pace for much longer.

"What?" Monty asked, incredulously as he looked down at the short brunette, "No, I'm not leaving you behind Olivia."

Opening her mouth Olivia was about to point out everything that had occurred to her, but as if to prove her point Olivia fell as Monty continued to try to pull her along.

Instinctively her hands shot out to brace herself against the impact as she pulled Monty down to the earth below with her with a sickening cracking sound. Like bones breaking.

Olivia blinked, trying to catch her breath and make sense of where her hands were. The others were pulling at Monty and Olivia trying to get them moving, running again, but Olivia's eyes stayed on the skeleton, pacifically the ribcage where her hands had crashed through cracking several of them.

"Monty, get up!" Finn ordered pulling at the other boy's coat, as he tried to lift him from the ground.

"Olly, come on!" Octavia pleaded, her own hands going out but stopping when her eyes caught sight of what Olivia was on top of.

"We have to go!" Clarke stated, reminding the pair, as if they needed reminding. Olivia freeing her hands moved slowly, sitting back away from the carcass that had broken her fall.

"Who are they?" Finn asked as Clarke bent forward, picking up a disfigured skull.

"What are they?" She corrected staring at the heart shaped skull with a mixture of horror and curiosity.

Olivia allowed Octavia to pull her to her feet now, as she stated what they all were thinking.

"We are so screwed."

Olivia had to agree with Octavia, whatever these things were, radiation mutated _things_ that had once been human. They were skilled. Skilled enough to throw a spear at least three hundred feet across a river, skilled enough to not be seen, to not make any sound while killing one of them.

Olivia couldn't help but look around, her eyes studying the trees around them as she wondered if they were still being watched.

Hunted.

"Aaaargh!" An awful cry filled the forest, filled with pain.

Hazel eyes darted back the way they had come as she recognized the sound that had belonged to Jasper. Her eyes widened as she realized that she had left him to die, left him to the mercy of whomever speared him. Said person had to of heard his cry, Olivia realized as she tore off away from the others. Bleeding leg, exhaustion be damned.

Olivia was going to save Jasper, just like he'd done for her.

There he was, Olivia's heart skipped a beat as she watched Jasper being dragged by a dark figure, cloaked in black and like nothing she had ever seen. _It's taking Jasper._ She realized feeling sick to her stomach before she let out a scream that had the figure turning to look at her.

"JASPER!" Olivia was panicked, her scream a heart wrenching sound as it tore its way from her throat. Black soulless eyes pinned her to her spot behind its mask, before it raised a single hand pointing a dark finger at Olivia.

She's never felt fear like this, like she had as she watched Japer being dragged, when the 'Grounder' pointed at her then brought his own finger across his neck. His message coming through loud and clear in an otherwise silent forest, before he dragged Jasper out of sight.

Olivia's knees buckled as she helplessly dropped to her knees. She's never felt so weak, she's been unable to protect her mother, unable to protect Jasper and now as she sat there Olivia wondered just how many more people she'd watch die before the grounder made good on his promise and came for her.

"Olivia?" Octavia whispered, fear and confusion clear on her face as she looked at the other girl who was on her knees looking as if she might throw up at any given second.

"He was right there." Finn stated confused as the others searched the spot where Jasper had been, the spot where Olivia was still staring blankly.

"Olivia are you okay?" Clarke asked as Octavia shook the girls shoulder gently.

Monty's question caused Olivia to turn her head in their direction, "Where is he?"

" _IT_ took him…" Olivia whispered as all eyes fell on her, her voice sounding hollow she continued "and it's going to come back to finish picking us off."

"We need to get out of here." Finn stated, being the first to take a step back placing a hand on Clarke's shoulder, who ignored him as she studied Olivia. The two had been close on the Ark when they were young, but over the years they'd found themselves to be more of an ally then friends. Having their mothers both working in the medical bay they were bound to see a lot of each other, but Amelia's side job that Olivia had started to take part in had effected Olivia's friend group drastically.

Olivia had chosen a secret best friend that lived under the floors and Clarke had never understood the reason behind why they had drifted apart, but still she cared for the girl, after all Olivia was the only person on the ground that would be able to help her with medical emergencies. SO maybe it was kind of selfish, but she needed Olivia to be okay, "Olivia can you walk?"

"She's bleeding pretty badly." Octavia informed Clarke as the wound from Olivia's leg had soaked through part of her pants, of course Clarke had noticed that, but she was more alarmed about the near catatonic state that the other girl was in.

"Its eyes…they were black." Olivia stated turning her wide unfocused eyes on Clarke, "he was huge, wearing something on its face…" she mumbled "a mask. A black and white skull mask…he, it, dragged Jasper off by his feet." Olivia's voice broke on the last word; she didn't want to say that the grounder was going to kill Jasper, partially because he could have just done that on the shore, and partially because she didn't have to.

***Authors note*** Posted a day early! Yay! :) I'd say I'll have the next chapter up by Oct 2nd, but I have so many appointments this week with the baby's ultrasound and blood tests. So it may be a little late. Hope you all had a great weekend!


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